About to move? Prevent additional costs!

Are you about to finish your study and leave your student appartment? A lot of practical matters will have to be dealt with. One of them is giving notice to end your tenancy. Leaving your room in decent condition will prevent additional costs.

“June is a particularly busy period for us with contract terminations of student rooms” says technical overseer Peter Derrez. ”Upon ending their studies, many students leave Maastricht”. In this busy period Peter sometimes needs to send final settlements of € 500 or more.

Make sure your room is in order

Peter: “Unfortunately I regularly come across rooms that aren’t left clean and undamaged by the tenants. Nails and holes are still in the walls, kitchen cupboards are broken, carpeting is not removed. This is not how it’s supposed to be. If the student doesn’t leave the room in proper condition, we have to take care of the repairs or cleanup and we'll have to charge the student for the expenses.”

Do not leave any items behind

District caretaker Helma Bannink adds: “Tenants regularly leave items in the communal areas when they move out. Some kitchens clutter up with stuff that doesn’t belong to the current tenants. They are left with it and with the responsibility to clean the stuff out. If you move, take all your stuff with you, unless you have an agreement with the other tenants.”

Prevent additional charges? Here’s what you need to do:

Give notice in due time. You can give notice every day of the month but make sure to take the one month’s notice into consideration. Terminating your contract is easy using the appropriate form.

Leave your room clean, undamaged and safe. On the last day of your tenancy, make sure that:- the room is cleared out and clean;- the toilet, bathroom and kitchen are clean, undamaged and free of limescale;- nails, screws and plugs are removed from walls and ceilings and the holes are repaired.

Leave the room completely empty. The only items you can leave in the room are the ones that a new tenant wants to have. Make sure you have a written agreements with the new tenant; use the form you receive with the end-of-tenancy confirmation. If you have to remove items after the last day of tenancy, you will be charged € 15 a day for it.

Take all your belongings with you. Don't leave anything in kitchens or other communal areas.

Also read:

Am I allowed to nominate a new tenant?

Yes, you are allowed to temporarily sublet your room or studio to another student. If you move out, you are also allowed to nominate a new tenant.